Werewolf
by Laurella
Summary: Two boys have disappeared. A third was killed a month earlier. The BAU team is called in to find the missing boys. Hotch believes it is the work of a being like him, a werewolf. Will be pre-relationship Hotch and Reid. This story was actually meant to be prequel to my other story. I figured I would write this one first. So there will be a second one.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Out After dark

 _Over thirty years ago . . ._

A full moon was over-watching the neighborhood outside of Manassas, Virginia.

The neighborhood was naturally quiet. This night was no different from the others before.

One house was just as silent as the rest. It was dark inside the family that lived there had gone to bed.

Upstairs two boys were lying in the twin beds of their shared rooms.

Aaron Hotchner, aged thirteen, was lying in his bed. His eyes were closed, however, he was not asleep. Trying not to make too much noise, he turned in his bed to look at his watch. The dial stated that it was almost midnight.

Slowly he slid out of the bed.

Standing up he looked over at his brother, Sean, in the other bed.

Sean was fast asleep. Aaron shook his head at his younger brother as he let out a groggy yawn.

Aaron got dressed and then grabbed his shoes.

Making sure not to make any noise, Aaron opened the door to the bedroom. He looked back to make sure that Sean was still asleep.

Seeing that Sean wasn't stirring, he tiptoed out into the hallway.

Aaron carefully made his way down the stairs. He sat on the last step and slipped on his shoes.

Now that he was on the ground floor Aaron made his way towards his father's office. He turned on the small desk light. Legal books were everywhere in the office, several papers littered the desks. On the desk was a bottle of whiskey. The bottle was about only a third full.

Cautiously, Aaron opened the desk drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He grabbed a few and placed them in the pocket of his shirt.

The teenager than turned off the light and moved to the back of the house. He opened the door and slithered out of the door.

Aaron went over to a bush on the side of the house and grabbed his bike where he had parked it earlier. He mounted the bike and headed down the street.

He rode about a mile, stopping where another thirteen-year-old stood waiting with his own bike.

"Hey," The other boy said. "The old man let you out?"

"Yeah, right," Aaron replied. "Where's Mike?"

"He's grounded." Scott, the other boy, answered. "No way he's getting out. You ready?"

"Yeah," Aaron said

The two boys got onto their bikes and took off down the street.

They stopped when they came to a billboard that was just off of the main road.

"I got these," Aaron said pulling out the cigarettes. He took the lighter from his back pocket and lit his before lending it to Scott.

The two boys climbed up the ladder to the billboard with their cigarettes. Scott opened up his backpack and handed Aaron one of the spray cans he had inside.

The two boys then started to spray paint the billboard.

"I wish I could see the old man's face when he drives by this in the morning," Scott said.

Aaron laughed along with Scott.

They were interrupted by a strange sound.

"What the hell was that? Aaron asked.

"Sounded like a dog," Scott said.

They both continued defacing the billboard.

The sound occurred again.

"Okay, that was not a dog," Aaron said. "We need to get out of here."

The two boys climbed down from the billboard and went for their bikes.

They both froze when the strange howling sound started again. This time it sounded closer.

Aaron was about to ride away with Scott when he saw something.

In the bushes, there were two small red dots that looked almost like they were glowing.

Aaron wasn't sure what he was looking at. But he couldn't look away.

"Hey, we need to get out of here," Scott said punching Aaron in the arm.

The figure with the red eyes then moved quicker than what anyone would have expected. The creature, large and grotesque flew through the air at the two boys. It had managed to tackle them both.

Scott had managed to roll away.

Aaron though was completely under the dark horrid looking creature. He cried out when the beast scratched him.

Scott picked up a nearby rock and threw it at the monster.

It merely growled in response.

Suddenly there was a bright light shone on the creature.

The boys looked and saw the headlights, then the car screeching to a halt.

The strange creature let out a cry and then dove back into the bushes where it had come from.

Aaron laid on the ground, cradling his shoulder where he had been scratched.

A man jumped out of the car. "Stay still." He commanded to Aaron looking over his wounds. He then turned to a dumbstruck Scott. "Help me get him in the car." The stranger demanded.

Scott and the man helped the bleeding Aaron into the car.

"Keep him still and put pressure on the wound." The man ordered. He quickly drove to the local ER.

Scott remained in the back with Aaron with his hands applying pressure to the wounds.

When they arrived at the hospital, the man had carried Aaron in.

"Stay with us, Aaron." The man said to the boy. "It will be over soon. You already went through the worst." He kept his words calm and reassuring for the injured teen.

In the ER, Aaron was placed on the gurney and sent behind a curtain for triage.

The nurses had quickly started evaluating the wounds.

In the commotion that took place someone placed a call to the police.

Scott and the man, named Jack Givens remained in the emergency room.

The police were taking statements from Scott and Mr. Givens.

It did not take long after the police were called for Sebastian and Catherine Hotchner to make their way to the hospital.

Sebastian Hotchner was a tall and formidable man. Even in the late hour of the night, he showed in a suit and tie.

Catherine Hotchner has a handsome woman. She had come in a simple dress and had her hair tucked into a messy bun.

The two approached the front desk.

"I demand to see my son." Mr. Hotchner said in a stern voice. "Aaron Hotchner."

"Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner?" The doctor asked from behind the desk.

"I am Sebastian Hotchner." Mr. Hotchner said. "I want to see my son, now."

It was clear the Mr. Hotchner was a man that got what he wanted when he asked for it.

"Sir I need to speak with you." The doctor wasn't going to allow himself to be intimidated by Mr. Hotchner. "If you would step in the office. We can speak in private."

The Hotchners reluctantly followed the doctor to the office just past the ER. Catherine took a seat on the couch. Mr. Hotchner stood staring at the doctor. His face alone demanded an answer. He remained like that until Catherine had gently pulled on his arm bringing him down to sit on the couch with her.

Mr. Hotchner sat on the edge, not at all with his wife.

"I need to know if either of you are familiar with the condition of Lycanthrope." The doctor asked.

"O God," Catherine said placing her hand over her mouth.

"What is going on?" Mr. Hotchner said.

"Someone in your family was affected?" The doctor asked Mrs. Hotchner.

He was clearly not at all intimidated by Mr. Hotchner.

"Yes," Mrs. Hotchner answered. "My uncle. No one else."

"I've never heard of it." Mr. Hotchner said. "What does it have to do with what happened? I heard he was attacked by a dog."

"It wasn't a dog," Catherine answered. "It was a full moon tonight."

Mr. Hotchner stared at his wife.

"Mr. Hotchner, your son has a condition now, that you will need to fully address."

"What do you mean address?" Mr. Hotchner said.

"The wound was deep enough, from the attack. Your son will become a werewolf." The doctor said bluntly.

"What kind of a joke is this?" He was clearly irritated.

"I can assure you that it is true. This is what has happened." The doctor said. "It won't go away by you ignore it or being angry."

"What do we need to do?" Catherine asked. "They placed my Uncle in a ward, said it was a mental deficiency."

"There is medication, therapy, specialists." The doctor answered. "What we know now is better than what existed in the past. There are options now."

"There are doctors that specialize in this?" Mr. Hotchner was still not accepting what he was being told.

"There is also a boarding school that specializes in this." The doctor said. "They have had a very high success rate and an academic program to boast of."

"We'll do what we need to," Catherine said. She obviously had a clearer head than her husband.

"I want to see him," Mr. Hotchner said. "Now."

"He should be ready for visitors." The doctor said. "I will keep him overnight, for his own safety."

The doctor led the Hotchners to the private room.

The room was padded and there was a single bed, nothing else.

Aaron looked up at his parents when they entered the room. For a brief moment, the teenager's eyes turned a glowing red. They returned to their normal color as quickly as they turned.

"We'll send Aaron to the boarding school." Mr. Hotchner stated. He was not taking another answer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Briefing on the Plane

It was morning and the BAU team was taking their usual routes into work.

Reid was on the rail heading in with his morning coffee.

Morgan and J.J. were both driving in they too were not far from the BAU.

Rossi and Prentiss had stopped for their coffee as well and were not far from the office.

No one on the team had made it to the office before they each had received a similar text.

 _Have case. Briefing on the_ _plane_ _. Missing kids. Bring Go-Bags._

The team members each gave a similar look. The same they always gave when they received a text that they had a case.

Immediately each team member changed the direction they were originally heading and going towards the airfield. They all knew when it came to missing kids that they were on a clock.

Hotch was already sitting on the plane when the team started to arrive at the airfield. "We'll start the briefing when everyone is here." He told the team members.

Each member of the BAU team arrived and sat in their seats. Once everyone was secure the plane took off.

The team members sat listening for the briefing.

Garcia's image appeared on the screen, ready for the briefing as well. Her look was the same demeanor that it normally was when the team had to work on a case involving kids.

"We have three victims in Frederick, Virginia." Hotch started."The first is Martin Turrent, thirteen."

The team, with the exception of Reid, was looking at the picture of Martin on the tablet. Hotch had provided Reid with a paper copy of the case.

"He was reported missing on the twentieth of last month. He was late coming home from a friend's house. After he didn't answer his cell phone his parents called the police. The phone was found a couple of blocks from his friend's house. He had left on this bike home according to the friend's parents. Both parents were never considered viable suspects."

The team slid their fingers over the tablets and looked at the crime scene photos.

"He was found two days later outside of town. The autopsy determined that he had been dead for over a day." Hotch finished.

Following the photos were the police report and the coroner's report. Reid had already completed reading the documents.

"Looks like the rain had washed away a lot of the evidence," Rossi commented looking at the report.

"It didn't take away from the overkill," Morgan added. "The Un-Sub still beat him after he was dead."

"The coroner's report stated that there were bite marks on the victim. The bites were from an animal of some kind." Reid added.

"That might have been from being exposed to the elements," Prentiss said. "I mean the Un-Sub threw him away like he was trash."

"There were no signs of sexual assault," J.J. said. "Maybe the beating was what the Un-Sub needed for the release?"

"The tears in his clothing determined that he was fully dressed during the beating," Morgan said looking at the photos. "You said there were three victims? Why were we called if this was a month ago?"

"Last night two boys from Frederick went missing," Hotch answered. "Adam Rice and Michael Tanger, thirteen and twelve. They were supposed to be together."

The team looked at the photos of Adam and Michael.

"They lived three houses away from each other," Hotch continued with the briefing. "Adam Rice's parents are married. They have been in the neighborhood since he was born. Miss Tanger moved to the neighborhood a few years ago with her son. Adam and Michael went to the same middle school. Martin went to another."

Reid looked at the photos of the three boys. "There are physical similarities with all three of the victims. They have almost the same hair color, brown eyes, and close proximity in age."

"The lead detective is Robert Williamson," Hotch said. "He said that he didn't want to take any chances if this was the same Un-Sub. He is concerned with the safety of the Adam and Michael. He was at a seminar a few months ago."

"I remember him, lots of questions," Rossi said.

"It takes a lot of skill to kidnap one boy, but two?" Morgan said.

"If this is the same Un-Sub there was only a four week cooling off period and an escalation," Reid said.

"He would need some place with isolation and transportation, probably a van," Rossi added.

"Not to mention the fact that parents would be on high alert with their kids this soon after Martin Turrent," J.J. said.

"The town still had a curfew going," Garcia said. "That's why their parents reported them missing so quickly. I've been monitoring for their cell phones. They are either shut off or dead. I've also looked at their Social Media to see if there was anything. Nothing."

"Their parents probably thought the kids would be safer if they were together," Morgan said.

J.J. nodded in agreement. She remembered telling kids the same thing only a few years ago. "It is a small town, so there is going to be overlap. People are connected to each other."

Hotch immediately began delegating tasks to the team. They didn't want to waste any time.

"Morgan and J.J. will interview the Rices. Rossi and Prentiss, interview Miss Tanger. Detective Williamson said they refuse to leave their homes, in case the boys made contact. There are two officers stationed at each of the homes."

"That makes sense," J.J. said. "The parents want to be close to their homes just in case."

"Reid and I will go to the theatre that the boys were at. See how they could have possibly been taken." Hotch stated.

The team knew the case and their jobs. Now it was just the waiting for the plane to land.

They were greeted at the airfield by Detective Williamson. He clearly did not want to waste any time in locating the boys.

Hotch and Reid left in one vehicle towards the theatre.

The rest of the team followed Williamson to the neighborhood where the boys lived.

It was a nicer neighborhood with smaller houses. Outwardly it had seemed like a nice place for children. The team pulled up to the Rices. They saw the police car parked a few houses down at the Tangers.

They parked in between the two houses.

"I think the Rices will cooperate better than Miss Tanger will," Williamson said. "You can go in, they are expecting you. I'll walk with you to see Miss Tanger. I have only been able to develop a small level of trust with her."

"We would appreciate that," Rossi said walking with Prentiss and Williamson towards the Tangers.

Morgan and J.J. walked up to the Rices' door. The officer standing by the door allowed them inside when they showed their badges.

Mrs. Rice had shown the Agents into the living room as soon as they arrived.

Morgan and J.J. sat on the couch opposite of the Rices.

Mrs. Rice had clearly been crying and was beside herself. Mr. Rice had established himself a source of strength for his family. It would not last long. They would soon start blaming each other.

"Why did he take my son?" Mr. Rice asked the agents. "If he wanted money, I could have gotten that for him. What if he doesn't want to call because there are cops here?"

"When someone takes a child for ransom, we usually hear about it sooner than this," Morgan explained. "We are ready if by chance they establish contact."

"Our focus should be on getting them back," J.J. said. "The best way that you can help us right now is to help us understand your son."

"Because Adam and Michael were together we believe that they were taken together," Morgan said. "Understanding what your kids are like will help us figure out what happened.

Three houses down, Prentiss and Rossi went with Detective Williamson to the sat Tangers' door.

They were greeted by a slightly older woman. "Detective," she answered.

"These are Agents Prentiss and Rossi with the FBI," Williamson said politely. "They're here to help us find Adam and Michael."

"We need to ask you about Michael," Prentiss said in a calm voice.

"Why do you need to know? He's missing and I haven't seen anything done to find him." Miss Tanger said in a harsh tone.

"We are here, now," Rossi said. "We want to find Michael. But we need to know about him. What you can tell us will bring us closer to finding him."

"Alright," Miss Tanger said letting the Agents into her home.

"He is smart, considerate." Miss Tanger started as she led the Agents into the living room. "He takes care of his responsibilities. He's been that way ever since his dad walked out on us."

"How long ago did his dad leave?" Rossi asked.

"It happened when he was nine." Miss Tanger answered. "Went out for cigarettes, didn't come back. He hasn't called or anything. I called the cops. They told me after about a month that there was no point in looking. We moved here not long after."

"How long have Michael and Adam been friends?"

"Adam was the first kid that he met on the block." Miss Tanger answered.

"Have they gotten in trouble?" Rossi asked.

"No, they were just boys." Miss Tanger answered. "They played ball together."

"Would you consider Michael resourceful?" Prentiss asked.

"Yes," Miss Tanger answered. "What was it that his teacher called it, self-reliant."

"Thank you," Rossi said. They had enough for Michael. "If you think of anything else, please call us." He said handing Miss Tanger his card.

Rossi, Prentiss, and Williamson walked back to the Rices' house.

Morgan and J.J. were stepping outside when the three stepped up.

"What did you find?" Rossi asked.

"Well adjusted family. No sign of abuse or neglect." Morgan said.

"Normal family." J.J. added, "What did you find."

"Single mom not trusting of the world," Rossi said. "Her kid learned how to take care of himself quickly."

"Adam would have been a good fit for Michael," Morgan said.

"Our Un-Sub had to have used some kind of ruse. Something that would gain their trust or immediate compliance." Rossi said. "Michael wouldn't have gone willingly and he wouldn't let Adam go either."

"We need to see what Hotch and Reid found," J.J. said.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Adam and Michael

Adam and Michael sat next to each other on the floor of a basement. They were huddled inside of their jackets.

The room was small, dank and dark. It was lit only by a single kerosene lamp.

A single bulb was suspended by a wire in the middle of the ceiling, however, it switched off.

Michael had tried to find a light switch earlier when the boys had tried to open the door. There was none to be found. That had been when they first found themselves in the basement.

After banging on the door for several minutes they had given up and settled themselves on the floor of the basement.

To the boys, it seemed like they had been in the room for hours.

There were a few shelves built into the walls in the basement. Yet, there were no beds or chairs or even blankets.

The boys only had their jackets for warmth.

"What do you think he wants? Adam asked. "He didn't say anything. I mean he said nothing."

"I don't know," Michael answered. He was confused and scared as well. "We need to get out here. We need a plan before he comes back."

"Okay, what do we do?" Adam said.

"Run in opposite directions. He can't chase us both." Michael suggested. "We have to keep him guessing. When one of us gets a chance to get away, we do it. Then we tell the cops where to find him."

Adam nodded in agreement. "Do you think he's even human? Did you see what his eyes did? What are we going to tell our parents when we see them?"

"That they need to tell the cops to bring either silver bullets or a wooden stake," Michael answered. "We are going to get out of here."

The two boys were interrupted by the light bulb from the ceiling coming on. They then heard the slight creaking of the basement door.

Both boys looked towards the staircase.

The door to the basement was opened and their captor was slowing coming down the steps.

He was a tall man with dark eyes and hair. He was impeccability dressed in a dark suit and tie with shined shoes. In another setting, he might have been taken for a lawyer or broker. Not at all for a kidnapper.

Both boys stared wide-eyed waiting for their captor to make a move.

The man stopped at the bottom of the steps, but he did not speak. He only appeared to be studying the two boys.

Slowly both Adam and Michael rose from the ground. Neither spoke or looked at each other. They looked at their capture. However, their thoughts were set on the door at the top of the staircase. It was the only way out of the windowless basement.

It stayed eerily quiet in the basement. Neither the boys nor their captor spoke. It was as though they were locked in a non-verbal game of cat and mouse.

The captor's gaze then turned solely towards Adam. His eyes, only for a moment, seemed to glow a red color. When his eyes returned to the dark color they had been before he smiled slightly.

That had been enough for Michael. He took off in a tackling run at his captor.

The man had not been expecting the sudden reaction from his captives. He immediately went to grab at Michael.

In an instant, Michael changed his direction, surprising the captor.

This had left the staircase open.

Adam took advantage of the opportunity and ran past the tall man to get to the staircase.

Surprising to both boys, the man made an inhuman leap at Adam to prevent him from escaping.

Michael still charged at his captor, temporarily setting him off balance.

Adam kicked at the captor then started up the stairs.

The man had seemed to expect this and went to grab at Adam. He managed to grab a hold of his leg, effectively tripping him.

This had prevented Adam from escaping.

Michael pounced at the captor. He beat the man the best he could with his fists. This caused him to let go of Adam's leg.

Adam quickly ran up the stairs.

As soon as Adam was free, Michael chased after him.

The two boys scrambled up the stairs into an old farmhouse. They looked at the windows. Wood boards had been placed over the windows, making escape impossible through there.

Seeing the door, the boys ran for it and tried to open it. The door was locked from the inside.

Frustrated, Adam looked back towards the basement door.

Their captor stood at the door. He had watched the boys' attempted escape.

"I have decided which one of you I want." The man said. His voice was strangely calm considering the amount of excitement that had recently occurred.

The boys looked at the man.

The man started moving closer to the boys.

"I wasn't sure at first." He said keeping his movements precise and slow.

"You are both young, energetic. These are characteristics that I do find ideal." The man said to the boys. "They are not everything I desire though. I require a certain set of traits if you will. I have been looking for those traits for some time now."

Michael was looking for a way past the man.

The man looked at Adam. "You do have certain abilities, however, you are slower and not entirely ideal."

He then turned to Michael. "You are stronger, resourceful and determined. You are perfect. I want to bestow a gift if you will upon you. Understand I did not choose you lightly. I needed to be sure first."

The boys started to move slightly away from each other and the man.

The man looked towards Adam. "You will still serve a purpose to this end."

Adam stood dumbstruck.

The man then started to move towards Michael. Again his eyes glowed red momentarily. "This will not take long I can assure you. You will be like me and we will celebrate your change with your friend."

Michael saw a what looked like a paperweight on a table. He picked it up and threw it at his captor. The two boys then ran opposite directions in the house.

"Go ahead and run." The man said. "You won't escape."

CM***********************************

Hotch and Reid arrived at the movie theatre.

The theatre was in a downtown district. A bike rack was placed outside of the entrance.

The local police had already confirmed that the boys went into the theatre and left when the movie was over.

"This theatre is only ten miles from Adam and Michael's house. It would have most likely taken them an hour to return home." Reid commented.

"This also appears to be a mildly heavy traffic area," Hotch commented.

"The Un-Sub couldn't have grabbed the boys off of the street. All that they would have had to do was create a commotion." Reid said looking at the theatre and the general area.

Hotch and Reid walked around the theatre in the direction the boys would have gone home.

"They would have to have gone straight down this road. That was the most direct route home." Reid said continuing down the street.

Hotch stopped when they came to an alley. "They might have come down this way for something," Hotch said turning down the alley.

The profiler looked around the area. There were no visible cameras or windows. It was a secluded area. Anything could happen in this alleyway an no one would have seen.

In truth, Hotch was following something. He smelled something, something familiar. A scent that he would always be able to identify.

Hotch rarely ever used any of the abilities he acquired after becoming a werewolf. He had an increase in his hearing, sight, and smell when he allowed his wolf self to come out.

At the boarding school Hotch had attended after he was attacked, they trained him on suppressing his werewolf traits and appearing human. With the training, he continued to have normal human senses.

It was a struggle sometimes at times. Some werewolves had required medication to suppress the instincts inside of them. Hotch had chosen to use focus and concentration, discipline, to keep himself in check.

The one thing that had forever overrode his training and discipline was the smell of another werewolf. That scent was in the alley.

As a rule, Hotch never used his increased senses on a case. If he did it would raise questions. Those were questions that he did not want to answer. The abilities were not a proven scientific method. It would be possible that he would have led the team in the wrong direction, away from their potential Un-Sub.

It was also true that if the Bureau even found out that he was a werewolf there would still be repercussions. Werewolves were unaccepted in society, only a select few even knew of their existence. Actual werewolves, limited medical personnel, and specific counselors knew the truth. Werewolves, in general, preferred to keep it that way.

No one on the team, not even Reid, knew about werewolves. Hotch had been sure of that. He had wondered if Rossi might have known. The man seemed to know things that he shouldn't. That was part of what made him a good profiler. Hotch also knew that if Rossi had suspected something he would have made an implied statement for it.

This case would be different for the team.

Hotch had smelled the werewolf in the alley. There were two other scents that had mingled with the werewolf. It was the smell of fear. Hotch was sure that it belonged to the boys. If he had an article of clothing for the boys he was sure it would have been a match. There was no way to ask without raising suspicions.

Reid had turned when he saw Hotch step into the alley. He slowly walked back, wondering what had captured Hotch's attention. Reid stood, curious at the behavior. The unit chief appeared to be lost in thought for a moment.

"What are you thinking?" Reid asked. He was not used to seeing Hotch so disconnected. He slowly moved closer to the senior profiler.

Hotch took a breath in and concentrated, closing his eyes. If Reid had looked at that moment, he would have seen his eyes glowing red.

When Hotch knew his eyes had returned to normal he looked at Reid.

"The Un-Sub somehow attracted one and the other followed," Hotch said. "That was the only way that the Un-Sub could get a hold of them. We need to get the profile out."

Reid was taken aback by the declaration from Hotch. The team normally came to a consensus and they talked with the local authorities.

They both made their way back to the SUV.

Reid called the rest of the team and told them that they were on their way to the station.

CM**********************************

To all my followers and reviewers - Thank you


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 The Profile

That BAU team had arrived at the police station and quickly compared notes.

Martin Turrent's parents had come to the station and spoke with the agents. It was clear from their behavior they had emotionally separated from each other. Hotch had met with both and assured them that the team would do whatever it took to find the man that had killed their son.

Now the BAU was standing before the officers in the station's bullpen giving their profile.

"We believe our Un-Sub is a white male," Hotch began. "He will be in his late thirties to early forties. The ability to kidnap two boys at the same time requires patience along with physical strength placing him in this age group."

"He is a predatory abductor. There was a recent trigger that forced this Un-Sub to act on these impulses." Rossi continued.

"It is important right now that we maintain the police presence that is already established," Morgan said. "This will prevent the Un-Sub from moving and possibly taking action."

"This Un-Sub most likely has some kind of nest. It will be secret and secluded. This is to give him time and privacy." Reid continued. "Efforts should not be focused on finding this nest."

"With most abductions of this style, the Un-Sub would try to inject himself into this investigation. This will be in an effort to figure out what the police already know. It is actually unlikely that this Un-Sub will do this." Prentiss added.

"He was able to abduct Martin Turrent without raising an alarm or leaving evidence." J.J. continued. "This was not his first offense. He is an experienced criminal."

"That's great that he has mommy issues now how do we find this son of a bitch?" One of the officers blurted out.

"What did I say about your mouthing off?" Detective Williamson barked at the officer.

"Continue the search parties in the area," Morgan said.

"Look at individuals in the area with a violent criminal history, this includes stalking and trespassing." Hotch continued.

"With Martin Turrent he was unable to fulfill whatever fantasy he has. That is the reason why Adam and Michael were taken." Reid continued. "It is possible that the Adam and Michael are possibly fulfilling this fantasy to an extent. That is the reason why we haven't found them yet." He did not want to say bodies. But that was the truth.

"So you think they are still alive?" One of the officers said.

"We continue to operate under the assumption that they are alive until we receive evidence otherwise." Rossi flatly stated to the officer.

"This Un-Sub may be up against some kind of calendar. There is something in this Un-Sub needs to complete, some kind of a schedule. This may mean nothing to us, but it is everything for him." Hotch added as well. "Thank you."

The team went back to the work area that was provided for them.

Reid had already started a geographic profile. "The geographic profile is inconclusive," Reid admitted. "The town is small. The only thing I can determine is the hunting zone."

Prentiss and J.J. both looked slightly defeated. "We can't find any type of overlap between the victims. They went to different schools. Martin and Adam went to separate churches. Michael didn't go. Except for Michael and Adam, these boys probably never met."

"The only thing that they have in common is the town and their physical appearance," Rossi said.

"We are not doing anything here," Morgan said. He did not like only sitting around. There was not a reason to wait. They only had a limited amount of time to find the two boys.

Garcia had looked at everyone in the area with a violent criminal history. So far there were no red flags being raised.

The team had hit a brick wall.

Hotch understood that the team wanted to take action. At this point, they did not have any leads, or at least the team knew about. "Until we have something else, we will join the search teams," Hotch stated.

He delegated the BAU team to different groups. At the very least they were extra manpower to help the local officers.

It also gave him an opportunity to separate Reid from the rest of the team.

Hotch had observed Reid since the alley. The genius clearly knew that there was something going on. Reid had seen the difference in his actions.

What Hotch also knew was that Reid had wanted to ask him about it. However, Hotch didn't know how to address it yet. He would have to say something, a cover, to the genius or tell him the truth.

Another reason that Hotch wanted to divide Reid was that he would bring up what had happened in the alley to someone else on the team.

The team would discuss the behavior and while there was an agreement that they wouldn't profile each other, it still happened.

Reid and Hotch headed towards the southern portion of the town.

In the SUV, Reid kept looking at Hotch. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what or how.

Hotch was still at a loss for words. He still did not know what to say to pacify Reid. Hotch would need to figure out an answer soon.

They continued in an uncomfortable silence towards the wooded area.

There were a few back roads in that area. While the local police force was dedicated, they would be strained in resources in the area.

It was also not far from where Martin Turrent's body had been found.

They continued down a dirt road, that could only be taken by an SUV or a truck. They had left the service road over a mile behind.

Suddenly, Hotch stopped the SUV. He jumped out and let his senses open. He could smell it. The damn werewolf was marking his territory, just like it had marked the alley by the theatre.

Reid had immediately jumped out of the vehicle as well. He looked to see what had caused the reaction from the unit chief.

Hotch disregarded Reid as he continued to open his senses and smell the area.

The team had met Martin's parents. Hotch knew what Martin's scent would be like. He was smelling that now, mixed with the same werewolf that he smelled before.

As far as Hotch was concerned this was damning evidence for the werewolf. The worse part was that he was only one on the team that was truly prepared to take on a fellow werewolf. He could train anyone on his team in a matter of few days. This would be after they came to terms with what existed in the world.

Hotch considered the fact that the werewolf had marked his territory here and at the theatre. This was a behavior that occurred with werewolves that chosen to abandon their human roots and follow with their wolf tendencies.

In past cases, this had not been an issue. Usually, this had been individuals that had disappeared off the face of the earth. Werewolves that did this generally didn't cause harm to others. This was how they wanted to live. They were not known to commit criminal behavior.

Hotch turned to Reid. "I need to talk to you about this case."

"I know we are not supposed to be profiling each other. You are holding something back from the team about this case," Reid said.

He was really starting to become more direct with the team, even with Hotch. This was far different from the Reid that Hotch first met.

"Reid, listen to me, there is something that you need to know about me." Hotch stated. "Do you know about Lycanthrope?"

"Yeah, the debunked psychological theory," Reid said wondering why Hotch would bring that up. He had quickly started in a rant about the bogus science that created the absurd theory.

"No, that was the official story, it was made up. That was why it was debunked so quickly," Hotch explained.

"Why are you talking about this right now?" Reid asked.

"The Un-Sub is a werewolf. I know because I am one too." Hotch flatly stated.

"Hotch," Reid was experiencing something that he rarely had. He was stumped for anything to say.

"I smelt him in the alley, along with the smell of fear. His smell his here. He has marked his territory. I can also smell what has to Michael Turrent." Hotch stated.

Hotch had kept his Ray-Bans on. When he let his senses go, his eyes were changed.

"He's close," Hotch stated. "This is his comfort zone. We need to move now. I don't have time to brief you, except forget whatever nonsense you may have read. If he even looks like he is going to attack, or his eyes change, just shoot."

"What do you mean change, how would I know?" Reid asked still processing the information.

"His eyes," Hotch said removing his Ray-Bans.

Reid stared wide-eyed. Hotch's eyes were glowing red. "If he fully changes, let me fight him, just get away."

Hotch regained control of his wolf and his eyes went back to the normal color.

Reid nodded in understanding, It was the only response that he could muster.

"The smell is coming from that direction." Hotch indicated.

The two got back in the SUV and started off in the direction that Hotch had indicated.

"I'll call the team and let them know." Reid said pulling out his phone.

"Garcia," he called. "We have a lead. Keep tracking our phones. Let the rest of the team know where we are." He hung up before she could ask any questions.

Hotch and Reid drove further up the road.

Reid tried to covertly stare at Hotch. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask. He did not know where to start.

He had seen Hotch's eyes change back to the glowing red and remain that way.

"I'm using my wolf senses. My eyes, werewolves eyes, change when they do." Hotch answered the unspoken question.

Reid still didn't speak.

"I am another wolf. The Un-Sub's focus will be on me." Hotch stated. "We need to keep his focus on me."

"Will you . . ." Reid started. "Change?"

"Yes," Hotch answered. "If he does, I will too. I have chosen not to give into the change. I actually haven't in some time."

The two spotted what looked like an abandoned house with a barn up ahead.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The Werewolf

Michael and Adam continued fighting to get away from the werewolf. He had remained in his human form.

Adam grabbed a chair from a room and used it break the glass in the window. He then tried to break through the boards that had been placed over the window with his foot.

While Adam was trying to find the escape, Michael was continuing to fight the tall man.

There was junk around the abandoned house. Michael was using anything he could get his hands on to fight with.

The tall man had seemed engaged in fighting the boys. It appeared to be a game for him. When he spoke his voice remained calm.

"You are keeping this interesting. You are more impressive than the other kid." He taunted.

Michael kept the man distracted while Adam managed to slip out the window.

Now that Adam was free, Michael took his opportunity for escape. He threw a lamp at the man and then went to the window himself.

The man smiled as Michael crawled out the window. He then went to the door, pulled the key from his pocket and stepped outside.

The boys looked outside and saw that they were in the middle of nowhere.

"The barn," Adam said running the barn.

Michael reluctantly followed.

"There could be something in here," Adam said looking through the junk that was all around the barn.

The boys stopped when the door on the other end opened.

They both hid behind large pieces of farm equipment.

"That was quite the adventure." The man had said entering the barn. "I know you are both in here." He stepped in a little further.

The boys remained quiet.

"You will make an excellent wolf." The man said. "I believe your name is Michael."

Michael almost gasped when the man said his name.

"You will be reborn again as my son. You may even choose a new name if you wish." The man's voice remained calm and confident. "I can tell that you have been without a father for some time. I can fulfill that role. I will teach you. There will be a full moon tonight. That is the time of the wolf."

Adam and Michael both looked at the door behind them. They were anxious to make their escape.

"There is a certain freedom in becoming a wolf. Your friend will be part of the journey. We will make him our first hunt together."

Michael looked at Adam and turned his head towards the door.

Adam shook his head at Michael.

Michael held up an old scythe that was on the floor and showed it to Adam.

Adam looked back at Michael and nodded in understanding. He then got up and ran out the door.

The man stood and watched has Adam ran out the door. He made a feral grin. The look quickly changed when he saw Michael charge at him with the scythe.

CM*************************************************

Hotch suddenly stopped the car.

Reid this time saw what made him stop. It was a boy running towards them waving his arms.

"Help." The boy called towards the SUV.

Hotch and Reid jumped out of the vehicle and ran towards the boy.

"Adam Rice?" Reid asked. He recognized him from the case file photo.

The boy seemed surprised by the man knowing his name.

"We are with the FBI. We have been looking for you." Reid quickly said.

"Where's Michael?" Hotch asked.

"The barn" Adam quickly answered.

Hotch quickly led Adam to the back of the SUV. "Get down. Stay here," Hotch directed.

Adam nodded in understanding.

Hotch and Reid quickly moved towards the barn

"I can smell him," Hotch stated. "Go around back. He needs to see me."

Hotch came upon the scene first.

Michael was against the wall of the barn. The man, the werewolf was blocking the boy's path.

"FBI, don't move!" Hotch stated holding his weapon to man.

"Wolf," the Un-Sub acknowledge Hotch.

"Let Michael go home to his mother," Hotch stated to the werewolf. He started to make himself turn. Underneath the sunglasses, his eyes were turning red.

"No," the man stated. "He will be my son now, I choose him."

"I won't let you change him," Hotch stated. "He doesn't want it."

"My father chose me." The man said. "He changed me and it freed me. Now I choose my own son."

"You're wrong," Hotch said.

During this entire time, Reid had moved around the other side of the barn. He could hear the exchange between Hotch and the werewolf.

He quickly took a breath and jumped out pointing his weapon at the werewolf.

"He said let the boy go." Reid said from behind the Un-Sub.

Michael saw Reid come out, the agent had distracted the man. He took advantage of the opportunity and ran.

"Michael, keep running," Hotch shouted.

Michael didn't even stop as he ran past Hotch.

Reid saw the eyes change in the Un-Sub's eyes. He didn't have time to register the change or even react.

The Un-Sub then took a swing at Reid with unexpected strength. The agent flew backward landing on the ground.

"Reid," Hotch shouted. He continued with his change. He didn't go into his full form. His ears grew and his claws come through his fingers.

Reid stayed on the ground, he was barely moving.

"Don't move." Hotch shouted at the wolf.

Reid watched the Un-Sub start to change. He was becoming a werewolf. His ears and nose started to grow longer. He was starting to rip out the seams of his clothes.

It was a lot to register. However, he remembered what Hotch had told him, if the Un-Sub started to change.

His attention was on Reid. Reid lifted his weapon and aimed. He waited until the Un-Sub came at him, but he was too late.

Hotch knew the Un-Sub was about to attack Reid. He took action in defense of his agent. Hotch shot at the Un-Sub.

Reid watched the Un-Sub stumble, but he did not fall. He quickly rolled away and moved away from the Un-Sub,

Hotch in his half form ran for the Un-Sub, He made an in-human leap at the werewolf.

The Un-Sub werewolf was injured. This had given Hotch the advantage.

Reid watched Hotch and the Un-Sub wrestle. There was too much movement. There was no way he could get a shot in.

He saw Hotch raise his arm up and swipe it down on the wound caused by the bullet.

The shot had had gone through the Un-Sub's heart. That was where Hotch was aiming for.

The Un-Sub then screamed and go limp. On the ground he returned to his human form.

Hotch stood then returned to his own human form.

Reid remained on the ground, processing what he just saw.

Hotch ran towards Reid. "Don't move." Hotch said to Reid looking him over for wounds. "Did he scratch you?"

"No, I'm fine." Reid answered getting up.

"Listen," Hotch said. "We can't tell the team what happened."

They were interrupted by the sound of sirens.

Hotch and Reid saw the familiar SUVs driving up.

CM***********************************

The team was now on the plane home.

The boys had returned to their parents. A medical exam had shown only minor injuries. They were both able to go home immediately.

Hotch had been cleared of the shooting death of the Un-Sub. It was determined that he was acting in the defense of his fellow agent.

When the house was searched, the police had found Martin's jacket in with the junk.

The Un-Sub did not have any form of identification on him or in the house. The police had ran his fingerprints and his picture. Both searches yielded no results.

Because of this a DNA test was ran for the Un-Sub. That had brought results, even if it didn't tell anyone his name.

The Un-Sub was wanted in question for the murders of two boys. One in rural Kentucky and the other in Ohio. His DNA had been found in connection to the two cases. Both boys had been dumped similar to Martin Turrent in the wooded area not far from where they lived. Those cases were closed now.

There were no markers in the DNA that showed the Un-Sub being a werewolf. No one else on the BAU team or the police department knew what the Un-Sub was.

Both Hotch and Reid were glad that the team was still unaware of the existence of werewolves.

So far Hotch had maintained his secret. It was a secret the Reid was willing to help him keep.

CM***************************************************************

Thank you to all for reading. I hoped you enjoyed.

This story was meant to be a prequel to my next story.

Here is the summary to _She-Wolf_ : Reid is being stalked. The BAU immediately works to protect him. Hotch believes the stalker is a female werewolf. He must reveal to the team that he is a werewolf, something Reid already knows. Hotch and Reid are also exploring their budding relationship.


End file.
